Premier League match preview, team news,

Manchester City welcome bitter rivals United to the Etihad on Sunday seeking vengeance for the painful defeat in this fixture last season.

Pep Guardiola’s men had the opportunity to seal the title against their neighbours, but surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 and gift the City’s short-term bragging rights to United.

Chris Smalling scored the winner in this fixture last season as United completed a stunning comeback

The champions, however, continue to assert their dominance in Manchester. They are unbeaten in their opening eleven league games and sit top of the Premier League pile heading into the weekend, with United down in seventh.

City’s recent form is frightening. They’ve scored 12 (yes, 12) goals in their last two games: battering Southampton 6-1 last Sunday before thrashing Shakhtar Donetsk 6-0 three days later.

But Jose Mourinho’s men have already pulled off one extraordinary victory this week, beating Juventus 2-1 in their own back yard to inflict the Italians’ first defeat of the season.

The Red Devils will be out to spoil the party once more.

Manchester City have bagged six in each of their last two games

What the managers are saying

Pep Guardiola (Man City): “Last season we lost, but every game is a new history and a new chapter. We realise how strong United are.

“When they dominate and create chances they win easily, but you can have the feeling you are in control and they can still punish you.

“It’s Manchester United – with Liverpool, they are one of the strongest teams in England’s history.”

Jose Mourinho (Man United): “I cannot say we are going to be successful in our motivations, in our desire, but we played two difficult matches away against two very good teams – Chelsea and Juventus – and we managed to get good results.

“Even if the good results were not in our pockets, the performances were there, the positive attitude was there, so we are going to try, but City are a very powerful team.”

Team news

Kevin De Bruyne (knee) and second-choice goalkeeper Claudio Bravo (Achilles) are the only major absentees for City, who have no fresh injury concerns.

Paul Pogba could miss the Manchester derby

Man United could be without Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku for the derby, with both players racing to be fit.